Golf-club.



No. 727,086. 'PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

' 0. M. BURNAM.

GOLF CLUB.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 26, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

% yj f gggok. I

No. 727,086. H PATENTED MAY 5, 1903.

G. M. BURNAM.

GOLF CLUB.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 26, 1902. no MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR.

" "ATTURNEY'.

No.72'7,086. Patented May 5, 1903.

UNITED STATES I'ATENT FFICE.

CLARENCE MILES BURNAM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JACOB HEINSFURTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GOLF-CLU B.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 727,086, dated May 5, 1903.

Application filed May 26, 1902. Serial No. 109,064. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: is shown in the annexed drawings, which are 50 Be it known that I, CLARENCE MILES BUR- a part of this specification,and in which NAM, a citizen of the United States, residing Figure l is a rear view of the entire club.

at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view, partly in of Illinois, have invented certain new and usesection, showing the method of adjusting the ful Improvements in Golf-Clubs, of which the head or blade. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional 55 following is a specification. view taken on the line X X of Fig. 2. Fig. 4:

In playing the game of golf it is necessary is a detail view, partlyin section, of the hanto use a number of clubs the faces of which dle and clamp for same.

are made to incline at difierent angles with Similarletters refer to similar parts throughrelation to the center line of the shaft. These out the several views. 60 different-angled clubs are necessitated by the Fig. 1 is a rear view showing the entire lie of the ball on the ground and the condiclub, in which A is the shaft, extending at tion of the ground when the stroke is made its upper end into a tubular handle a. and its and the distance of the ball from the hole. lower end fitting into a socket b, formed by These clubs are so expensive and so many part of the head. It is secured in place in the 65 are needed that it does not permit the people usual manner. This partb of the head has a of the medium classes to enjoy the game on face 6 at its lower end, with ratchet-teeth cut account of the expense. In addition to this thereon. Extending from the center of the a person wishing to play is compelled either ratchet is a steel rod b which is threaded into to carry all of these clubs while playing the the socket, and its end blis then peened or 70 game, thus making work of a pleasure, or else riveted over very securely, thus efiectually to employ some one else to carry the clubs, preventingits loosening under any conditions thus incurring additional expense. My inwhich could possibly arise in playing the.

vention is designed to remedy this state of game, or the socket and rod may be forged alfairs and to make a club which will be caintegral. The other end of the steel rod 12 is 75 pable of a quick adjustment, yet not diiferthreaded and has mounted upon itacap-nutb ing materially in appearance from the club having annular openings in it to permit of now in use, and which can be adjusted not its being tightened and loosened with a spanonly as to the angle of the face in relation to nor-wrench, a blade 19 having a rib b on its the center line of the shaft, but to also have back, which rib has an annular opening 80 an adjustment in the handle allowing one to therein and ratchet-teeth out upon its end readily shorten or lengthen the length of the face to coincide with the teeth out upon the shaft, so as to conform with the length of the face b upon the socket part of the head b.

handle of the different clubs. This blade?) is mounted upon the rod b The principal object of my invention is which extends through the'annular opening 85 to construct a club which to all efiects and in the rib 5 upon the back of the blade b purposes is capable of use in the place of any and when the cap-nut b, which is threaded one or all of the iron or'brass clubs now used upon the end of the rod 6 is tightened it 40 or needed, it not being intended to be used draws the teeth of the blade I) and the socket as a substitute for the wooden clubs. b so that they engage, and the entire head 90 My club can at the same time be manufacbecomes as rigid and firm as if it was one tured inexpensively,with an adjustment both piece, the head of the club then presenting in the head and handle which can not only be to view a smooth finished surface, its face not easily and quickly adjusted, but which will difiering from the non-adjustable clubs and when adjusted possess all of the rigidity of its back not differing materially from thenu- ,9 5 the non-adjustable club and which will not merous clubs having weights on the back of loosen in use. the blade.

My method in accomplishing these objects When it is desired to alter the angle, the

face of the blade I), the cap-nut b is loosened. The teeth of the ratchet on the rib 11 being released from engagement with the teeth of the ratchet on the socket b, it becomes possible to turn the blade b upon the rod 1) and place it at any angle in relation to the line of the shaft which is desired or called for by the position of the ball. When it is in the position desired, the cap-nut b is then tightened and the blade locked in the desired position.

Fig. 4 shows an enlarged detail view, partly in section, of the handle, in which A is a shaft which extends into a tubular handle a. The lower end a of this handle-a is slotted and the outer surface slightly tapered. A thread is out upon the tapered portion thereof. Mounted upon this tapered portion is a shell or sleeve a having its inner surface tapered to coincide with the tapered portion of the handle a and having internal threads cut thereon to match with the thread a out upon the tapered portion a of the handle a, so that a very slight twist of this sleeve or shell a is sulficient to clamp the shaft Avery firmly, owing to the extended bearing-surface of the interior of the tubular handle a upon the shaft A. By loosening the shell or sleeve a the shaft A can either be pushed up into the tubular handle a or withdrawn from it, thus shortening or lengthening the shaft, as is desired. The upper part of the tubular handle a carries a wooden plug, which serves as a handle for a spanner-wrench used to adjust the cap-nut b My club possesses another qualification which makes it very desirable, which is that it is at all times the same Weight, so that one is enabled to play with greater skill by becoming accustomed to one club instead of having to change frequently from one to another, this necessitating becomingv used to each different club before being able to use it with the same degree of skill.

What I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a golf-club the combination of a shaft, a tubular handle mounted thereon, having its lower end tapered; threads out upon said tapered portion and an internally-threaded sleeve mounted thereon, the lower end of the shaft having a metal socket attached thereto, the metal socket being bent to one side, giving an appearance somewhat similar to a gooseneck and terminating in a hemispherical-shaped end having ratchet-teeth out upon mounted thereon, a socket-head mounted upon the lower end of'the shaft, means for securing the socket-head to the shaft, said socket being bent to 'one side presenting an appearance somewhat similar to a gooseneck and terminating in a hemispherical-shaped end having ratchet-teeth out upon the flat face thereof and a rod extending from the center of said fiat face, said rod and said socket being made integral; a blade having ratchet-teeth out upon its end face mounted and turning upon the rod, means for securing the blade in position, for the purpose set forth substantially as described.

3. In a golf-club the combination of a shaft, a tubular handle mounted thereon, having its lower end tapered, and slotted threads out upon said tapered portion, an internallythreaded sleeve fitting to and coinciding with the threads out upon the tapered portion of the said tubular handle, a spanner-wrench having a wooden plug for its handle, said Wooden plug being mounted in the upper end of the said tubular handle and serving as a cap therefor, the lower end of the shaft havin g a metal socket attached thereto, the metal socket being bent to one side giving an appearance somewhat similar to a gooseneck, said socket terminating in a hemisphericalshaped end having ratchet-teeth out upon the fiat face thereof, and a rod extending from the center of said flat face, and a blade mounted upon said rod, the blade having one side smooth, the other side having a tubular rib extending transversely upon it, and at the outer end a chambered recess, the inner end of the rib having a shoulder thereon, the periphery of said shoulder meeting the smooth side of the blade, a recess out upon the inner surface of said shoulder and ratchet-teeth out upon theend of the rib connecting with the teeth out upon the socket, means to hold said teeth in engagement, for the purpose set forth substantially as described.

4. In a golf-club, the combination of a shaft, a tubular handle mounted on its upper end, the lower end of said tubular handle being tapered and slotted, threads out upon said tapered portion,an internally-threaded sleeve fitting to and coinciding with the threads out upon the tapered portion of said tubular handle, attached to the lower end of the shaft a metal socket, the metal socket being bent to one side presenting an appearance somewhat similar to a gooseneck, said socket terminat- IIO ing in a hemispherical-shaped end, having a having a. shoulder thereon, the periphery of and hold said blade in position, for the pursaid shoulder meeting the smooth side of the pose set forth substantially as described. blade, a. recess out upon the inner surface of I said shoulder and ratchet-teeth out upon the CLARENCE MILES BURNAM' end of the rib connecting with the teeth out Witnesses:

upon the socket, a, nut mounted upon the W. L. BUCHANAN,

thread on the reduced end of the rod to secure 0. W. SPEEOE. 

